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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Marketing? Business? Entrepreneurs? Cookbooks? Process? This must be one of the best and most interesting podcasts I've listened to this year (and I listen to about 30 podcasts a week): Robert Stephens, CTO, Best Buy: Creating the Geek Squad. It starts with a simple question: Robert, what do you do as the CTO of Best Buy? About Robert Stephens:

Robert Stephens left a scholarship at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1990 to pursue a degree in computer science at the University of Minnesota. While attending the University, he landed a job fixing computers for the Human Factors Research Laboratory. Over a three year period, he rose to become head engineer of the lab while earning scholarships from the U.S. Navy and the FAA building flight and driving simulators. It was also during this time he started a computer consulting business. In April 1994, after three years at the University, he formed The Geek Squad with $200. In 2002, The Geek Squad acquired Best Buy and opened Geek Squad precincts in all Best Buy US and Canadian stores. Now, with over 25,000 Agents, The Geek Squad is now the world's largest technology support company offering phone, in-store, and in-home, and online support. In 2010, Robert was appointed as the Chief Technology Officer for Best Buy.

Robert Stephens goes straight into storytelling mode and stays there for the next 50 minutes. And boy, what great stories that are! Honestly: go and listen to this podcast. It's worth the while. There's lots to learn.